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  1. School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences
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Harnessing AI to Discover novel Anxiolytic Drugs

  • Primary Supervisor: Dr Mohamed Elbadawi
  • Co-supervisor(s):  Prof Caroline Brennan
  • Studentship Funding: Awaiting CSC Funding Decision
  • Application Deadline: 28th January 2026
  • PhD Programme: PhD Psychology 


Project Overview 

This PhD offers an exciting opportunity to pioneer AI-powered lab automation systems that will accelerate the discovery of novel anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) drugs. With anxiety affecting around 360 million people globally, and no single treatment effective for all, this project tackles one of the most pressing challenges in modern healthcare: the creation of personalised medicines tailored to individual patients. The project will involve the use of AI to identify new therapeutics, then experimentally testing the new candidates in the lab, including both in vitro and in vivo. The successful candidate will work with Dr Elbadawi and Professor Brennan at the cutting edge of artificial intelligence, automation, and pharmaceutical innovation, developing technologies that transform how new therapeutics are discovered and optimised. This multidisciplinary project is ideally suited to highly motivated students with backgrounds in drug development, chemistry, or engineering, who are eager to explore the intersection of AI, automation, and biomedical science. Applicants will receive comprehensive training and join a collaborative, forward-thinking research environment at one of the world’s leading universities. If you have a passion for working with emerging technologies then we encourage you to apply.

Research Environment

You will join a new, exciting and energetic research group at QMUL that is highly multidisciplinary and collaborative. The department of Biochemistry is among the highest ranked in the UK, with a wide range of facilities accessible to PhD candidates. It also collaborates with a number of internal and external partners, where the PhD candidate will have an opportunity to expand their knowledge and network.

Find out more about the School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences on our website.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence; Machine Learning; Drug Discovery; Automation; Mental health.

Funding & Eligibility

Queen Mary University of London has partnered with the China Scholarship Council (CSC) to offer a joint scholarship programme to enable Chinese students to study for a PhD programme at Queen Mary.  Under the scheme, Queen Mary will provide scholarships to cover all tuition fees, whilst the CSC will provide living expenses and one return flight ticket to successful applicants.

Applicants must:

  • Be applying for CSC funding.
  • Be a citizen and permanent resident of the People’s Republic of China and hold a Chinese passport.
  • Satisfy all eligibility criteria set out by the CSC and must refer to the CSC website for full details.
  • Apply to QMUL by 28th January 2026. Late applications will not be considered.
  • Submit ALL required documentation, including evidence of their English Language ability ahead of the CSC application deadline.

CSC application rules differ slightly for domestic applicants (students applying from China) and overseas applicants (students applying from overseas). Therefore, ALL applicants are advised to see the CSC website for full details on eligibility and conditions on the scholarship. 

Entry Requirements

We are looking for candidates to have or expecting to receive a first or upper-second class honours degree and a Master’s degree in an area relevant to the project such as biomedical sciences (e.g., pharmacology, pharmaceutical sciences, biochemistry) and engineering (e.g., chemical engineering).

Knowledge of drug discovery and computational modelling would be highly advantageous but are not required.

You must meet the IELTS requirements for your course and upload evidence before CSC’s application deadline, ideally by 1st March 2026. You are therefore strongly advised to sit an approved English Language test as soon as possible, where your IELTS test must still be valid when you enrol for the programme.

Please find further details on our English Language requirements page.

How to Apply

Formal applications must be submitted through our online form by 28th January 2026 for consideration. Please identify yourself as a ‘CSC Scholar’ in the funding section of the application.

Applicants are required to submit the following documents:

  • Your CV
  • Personal Statement
  • Evidence of English Language e.g.) IELTS Certificate
  • Copies of academic transcripts and degree certificates
  • References 

Find out more about our application process on our SBBS website.

Informal enquiries about the project can be sent to Dr Mohamed Elbadawi

Admissions-related queries can be sent to sbbs-pgadmissions@qmul.ac.uk 

Shortlisted applicants will be invited for a formal interview by the supervisor. If you are successful in your QMUL application, then you will be issued an QMUL Offer Letter, conditional on securing a CSC scholarship along with academic conditions still required to meet our entry requirements.

Once applicants have obtained their QMUL Offer Letter, they should then apply to CSC for the scholarship with the support of the supervisor.

For further information, please go to the QMUL China Scholarship Council webpage.

Apply online


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